It’s Sleep Awareness Week — Here are 6 Austra Health-Approved Items to Catch Some Zzz’s

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• Best ergonomic mattress:Casper Sleep Wave Hybrid Mattress
• Best everyday bedding:Brooklinen Luxury Sateen Core Sheet Set
• Best combination mattress:Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress
• Best silk sleep mask:Blissy Silk Sleep Mask
• Best pillow:Zoey Sleep Side Sleep Pillow
• Best cooling sleep mask:Manta Cool Mask

Sleep plays a vital role in your overall well-being. It’s essential for physical, mental, and emotional health, and it helps your body restore and repair itself.

Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can lead to a range of health issues , such as an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It can also affect your mood, cognitive function, and immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness.

Administrative spending is particularly problematic in United States hospitals, where it makes up about 25% of total hospital spending and accounts for hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare spending annually, The Commonwealth Fund The percentage of total hospital spending devoted to administration is highest in for-profit hospitals, followed by nonprofit hospitals, teaching hospitals, and finally public hospitals. Outdated reimbursement and reporting methods are a big part of the administrative cost, says Salvo-Wendt. “Reimbursing in bundled payments instead of itemizing each service or component would produce instant savings of administrative costs.”

Because your health depends on sleep, Sleep Awareness Week was created to open discussions about the importance of getting enough sleep and practicing good sleep habits. As this year’s event approaches, it’s an excellent opportunity to reflect on your sleep routine and explore ways to improve the quality of your nightly rest.

We’ve compiled a list of the best products for Sleep Awareness Week, all of which have been tested and loved by Austra Healthrs. From mattresses and bedding to pillows and masks, these products can help promote healthy sleeping habits and make your bedroom a more comfortable and inviting place to sleep.

At Austra Health, we believe that choosing the right sleeping accessories can significantly impact your health and well-being. That’s why our team takes product selection seriously, carefully vetting all items and brands included in this roundup to ensure they meet our medical and business standards, and our overall approach to wellness. Read more about our vetting process.

Also, Austra Health employees have tested all the featured products to provide you with the most accurate and reliable information. Some items were received for free from brands, while others were purchased and tried out for personal interest. Regardless, we only included those we genuinely stand behind, so you can trust that our recommendations are based on real-life experiences and thorough evaluations.

Pricing guide

Best ergonomic mattress

Casper Sleep Wave Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Why we love it: “I feel like it adapts really well to my sleeping positions changing throughout the night,” said Mellanie Perez, former Austra Health editor.

Investing in a mattress that provides optimal ergonomic support is essential for a restful sleep experience. The Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress is an excellent option for those seeking superior support and spinal alignment.

With its unique zoned support system, gel pods for hip cradling, and resilient springs for minimal bounce and airflow, this mattress is designed to promote comfort and prevent sinking.

Mellanie found the mattress to be plush but supportive. “It’s the best of both worlds for those who want something comfy that’s also practical for their sleep health,” she said.

The Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress is CertiPUR-US certified and has been endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, guaranteeing quality and support.

Best everyday bedding

Brooklinen Luxury Sateen Core Sheet Set

• Price: $$
• Why we love it: “This is a great product for those wanting an easily washable, durable, long-lasting sheet set for everyday use,” said Emma Caplan, Austra Health freelance writer.

Nothing beats the feeling of cool, clean, crisp bedding, and the Brooklinen Luxury Sateen Core Sheet Set is perfect for anyone looking for a reliable set to enjoy night after night.

These sheets are made with 100% extra-long-staple cotton, providing a soft, breathable sleeping surface that’s comfortable, lightweight, and ensures a restful sleep experience.

The Brooklinen Luxury Sateen Core Sheet Set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillowcases. It’s incredibly durable and long-lasting, thanks to its high quality construction and craftsmanship. The sheets are also easy to care for. But Emma suggested: “For those wanting something more luxurious or soft, this isn’t the right sheet set for them.”

Best combination mattress

Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Why we love it: “Delivery was quick and easy, and the mattress has been incredibly comfortable so far,” said Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, nutrition and fitness editor.

The Leesa Hybrid Mattress is an excellent choice for combination sleepers, couples, and those seeking exceptional support and contouring. It offers a great combination of comfort and support thanks to its blend of memory foam and pocketed coils that offer more bounce back than your typical bed.

Additionally, the hybrid design retains less heat, but still provides the support of a traditional spring mattress. When testing it out last year, Kelli noted that, “it stays relatively cool. It’s been quite hot this summer, and while I wouldn’t call it a cooling mattress, it’s more breathable than others I’ve tried.”

She also said the mattress is a great fit for those who want to order a mattress online and either switch up their sleeping position or have varying preferences from their partner.

Best silk sleep mask

Blissy Silk Sleep Mask

• Price: $
• Why we love it: “It really helps block out any extra light and isn’t uncomfortable to sleep in,” said Carley Millhone, former Greatist editor.

If you’re looking for a comfortable and effective sleep mask, the Blissy Silk Sleep Mask is a great pick. Made of 100% pure mulberry silk, this mask is soft and durable. The silk is gentle on the skin and feels smooth and luxurious against the face.

The sleep mask is designed to block out all light, making it great for anyone who needs complete darkness to sleep. It’s also great for day napping, flights, and even meditation. The elasticated strap ensures a comfortable and secure fit, and the mask doesn’t put any pressure on the eyes or face.

It’s also hypoallergenic, making it appealing to anyone with sensitive skin. When she tried it, Carley found that the mask stayed “nice and cool,” so you won’t have to worry about it becoming hot and uncomfortable during the night.

Best pillow

Zoey Sleep Side Sleep Pillow

• Price: $$
• Why we love it: “This pillow somehow manages to offer the perfect combination of softness and support,” said Melissa Lee, market wellness editor.

The Zoey Sleep Side Sleep Pillow is great for relief from neck and shoulder pain while sleeping. Its unique butterfly shape design is specifically engineered to provide proper spinal alignment for side sleepers like Melissa. As a side sleeper, she feels most comfortable with a decent amount of support under her neck but without it being too firm. She said this pillow definitely delivers and is also really breathable and lightweight.

The pillow is made with high quality gel memory foam, but unlike others, it’s not a solid block — it’s shredded memory foam. This allows you to remove or add foam pieces to customize the pillow’s height and support. It also helps keep you cool, as the air pockets created by the shredded filling allow heat to escape easily.

The pillow also comes with an easy-to-maintain removable cover, making it a smart and convenient choice for better sleep health.

Best cooling sleep mask

Manta Cool Mask

• Price: $
• Why we love it: “The cooling eye cups can be adjusted or removed to meet your needs. It’s a quality mask,” said Ashley Sepanski, senior newsletter editor.

If headaches or sinus pain keep you up at night, you need the Manta Cool Mask. The mask is designed with cooling eyecups filled with ceramic beads that stay frozen for lengthy periods of time. Not only does the mask stay cool, but it’s also designed to provide complete darkness for restful sleep, or recovery from migraines exacerbated by light.

Ashley found that the mask stayed cool for several hours (as intended) and was great for warm or cool weather.

“While this sleep mask may not cure a migraine, it did wonders to ease my pain and prevented my headache from getting worse,” she said.

And if you’ve ever experienced the throbbing pain from a migraine, you know that’s a game changer. She also liked that the eye cups were soft with a little bit of weight, which helped infuse the cold therapy into her eyes and skin.

What is the theme for Sleep Awareness Week 2023?

The theme for World Sleep Day 2023 is “Sleep is Essential for Health.” The World Sleep Society is urging people worldwide to raise awareness of the importance of healthy sleep habits and their impact on physical, mental, and social well-being.

Sleep experts, community health advocates, and members of the World Sleep Society are organizing local, regional, and national activities to promote sleep health on and around Friday, March 17, 2023. The goal is to make people realize that, like eating well and exercising, getting enough sleep is essential for good health.

How do you celebrate Sleep Awareness Week?

There are many ways to celebrate Sleep Awareness Week. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Host a sleep-related event in your community, such as a talk, workshop, movie night, or yoga class.
• Organize a “Sleep In” day at work where employees can take an extra hour of rest during their lunch break.
• Create and distribute educational materials about the importance of sleep in your community or workplace.
• Make a social media post or other online content using the hashtag #WorldSleepDay to raise awareness about the benefits of good sleep habits.
• Talk with friends and family members about their sleep health, and remind them to prioritize it during Sleep Awareness Week and beyond.

What types of products can help improve sleep quality?

Various products can help you sleep better and longer. Some of the most popular include:

• Mattresses: A comfortable mattress that provides proper support for the body and helps alleviate any discomfort is critical. Memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses are good options.
• Pillows: Pillows support the head and neck, and choosing one that best fits your sleeping position is important.
• Sleep trackers:These devices can monitor your sleep patterns and provide data that helps you make necessary changes to improve your sleep quality.
• White noise machines:These machines emit soothing sounds like waves, raindrops, or wind chimes to block out distractions and promote deep sleep.
• Essential oils: Aromatherapy with essential oils like lavender and chamomile can help relax your body and mind, allowing you to fall asleep more easily.
• Blackout curtains: Darkness is crucial for sleep, and blackout curtains can help create a dark and calming environment that promotes relaxation and better sleep.
• Sleep-friendly lighting: Exposure to bright or blue light before bed can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Using dimmer, warmer, or red light can help signal the body to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Zia Sherrell is a health copywriter and digital health journalist with over a decade of experience covering diverse topics from public health to medical cannabis, nutrition, and biomedical science. Her mission is to empower and educate people by bringing health matters to life with engaging, evidence-based writing.

Last medically reviewed on March 17, 2023